English M.A.

Major in English

(Major Code: 5106)

Major Area Options (33-hour program)

Thesis option
Non-thesis option

General Requirements

Prerequisite to admission to master’s degree program:
30 semester hours of English.
Prerequisite to enrollment in 6000-level English courses:
24 semester hours of English.
Preequisite or concurrent enrollment: 6-8 hours of Foreign Language.

Specific Requirements

To complete the master of arts degree in English, the student may choose either a thesis or a non-thesis program. The department head will help prepare a plan of study in either program. Both thesis and non-thesis require 33 hours of graduate work.

Comprehensive Exam and Thesis

All students studying for the Master of Arts in English must satisfactorily complete a written Comprehensive Exam. Specific information about the exam (length, scoring, sample questions, reading list, etc.) is available in the EPML office.

In addition to comprehensive exam:

Thesis students are required to complete a thesis of 60-80 pages on a research topic and an oral defense of that thesis. In consultation with the department head, the student must select a committee with one chair and one or two second readers. While taking thesis hours, the student is expected to consult with the committee and to make satisfactory progress on the thesis. The final thesis must be formatted according to the thesis handbook for West Texas A&M University, available through the Graduate School. The thesis director will notify the graduate office that the candidate has successfully defended the thesis. Students must see the department head and file a plan of study before completion of 15 graduate hours.